How to help reactive dog?

[Bojingles]

6 months ago I rehomed a JRT x Chi bitch. She's only 1 and I'm her third home but she's a fabulous little dog and a brilliant partner in crime to my other JRT bitch. The only issue we have is that she's incredibly reactive to other dogs and people when she's on the lead. Off lead she'll go and say hello and is incredibly submissive - she'll normally roll over just as a hello. Her barking at dogs and people sets my other normally placid dog off, and it can all get a bit fraught. I've been downplaying it and just briskly taking her past and giving her treats if she's quiet but we haven't really made much progress. Any ideas?

 

[SpringArising]

Firm tug on the lead and a loud 'NOPE!' every time she barks.

 

[Alec Swan]

So she's fine off the lead, but not when she's on it, what does that tell us? It's a long held view that with 'lead' work, most of what goes wrong, is transmitted down the lead, and generally because we take up contact. "That's all very well" I hear you say "but when the wee dog launches herself at her intended victim, she'll immediately make contact and how do I prevent that?" and you'll be right.

Those who use treats 'reward' the dog for its last act and simply encourage that act. Sometimes that 'act' isn't what we want, but if we use treats as a distraction, then we're simply rewarding unacceptable behaviour. I'd suggest that you find a willing 'victim' or two, find an area where you're safe from the attentions of others, and when (the timing's vital) your dog's about to launch herself, then the dog's 'checked' (not too severely) and as soon as she stops then(if you must!), offer her a treat and then shortly afterwards release her. You'll need other dogs which won't react to her outburst by themselves going in to orbit!

The trick is to have the dog learn that her behaviour isn't acceptable. I don't believe that dogs learn right from wrong by distraction. The do however need to learn that we will be obeyed. How we go about achieving compliance seems to fall in to two clearly opposing schools of thought!

Alec.

 

[Cinnamontoast]

Can you leave her off lead except when on roads, obviously? Or walk with a non reactive dog on lead?

 

[Dobiegirl]

A very strong check with a loud no, do this every time she does it, don't allow her to move forward until her behaviour is compliant with no reaction to other dogs.

 

[Fellewell]

I would use 'flooding' for this. Take her somewhere really crowded and noisy and let her sit/stand at a distance and watch. As she starts to accept this, move along with the crowd. Stay quiet yourself and don't be tempted to pick her up, this has probably happened before and is the cause of her behaviour. I never treat, as others have said this sends mixed messages. 3 homes in 12 months! Good luck.

 

[Teaselmeg]

She is constricted on the lead and worried about it. Adversive methods ( lead jerks/shouting/flooding) will just exacerbate her fear. Start on her own, at a distance she comfortable at and reward her looking at dogs and not reacting or if she looks at the dog then looks at you. Then as she becomes more comfortable you can gradually decrease the distance between you and the other dog. If you have friends with dogs that will ignore her and not stare at her that you can start to practice with, even better.

It is not a quick fix, it will take several weeks at least, but it teaches the dog to become comfortable around other dogs, rather than just supressing the fear, which is what using adversives will do.

 

[CAYLA]

It is very true that the problem can more often than not be resolved via the way in which you handle your dog, including having the correct equipment on the dog and a good comfortable lead (the amount of people I have who turn up for one to one training with a harness and a chain lead or a flimsee lead that burns yours hands off is highly predictable.
And to teach the dog what is acceptable and what is not acceptable is indeed the key to tacking an unwanted behaviour, lead aggression is the most tackled and unwanted behaviour that owners face, as suggested it takes away a natural way of meet and greet (sniffing privates and anal orifices) lol (sorry) but that's how dogs meet (not head on) straining at the end of a lead. However we cannot allow this and need to teach lead manners. The behaviour does need to be checked and coupled with a firm command and you need to hold your lead correct and have her on the correct side of the body (for easy handling) her walking position and manners needs to be managed in order to help you manage the lead aggression/frustration. Pass as many dogs as you can, pay no attention to the oncoming dog or owner. focus on your own dog give a check back and command at the right time and walk on as if "nothing to see here", never stand still and brace simply walk on at a good pace. Im not a huge treat fan but if you want to offer a treat for distraction do it via a clicker and do it at home with a command "watch me" so you can use the command when passing a dog, don't just take treats out and try and shovel them down her, if you need to work on your handling you won't be able to treat and handle correctly, you will just become frustrated. (find you firm voice) she needs to know a behaviour is unacceptable coupled with a vocal she can differentiate. If I take a dog from an owner and the dog responds almost immediately (it's not a miracle) it's just a different handler, you just need to find that way and communicate it to her.